


The Slow Walk to Death's Embrace

by LazarusII



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Anakin's Lightsaber, Angst, Choices, Dark Obi-Wan Kenobi, Death, Gen, Grieving Obi-Wan Kenobi, Heavy Angst, Post-Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, Seduction to the Dark Side, Soon to be Sith Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Dark Side of the Force, failure - Freeform, sith eyes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2020-05-30
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:07:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24462502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LazarusII/pseuds/LazarusII
Summary: Around him, the Force was breaking apart, the pieces slowly falling from the heavens, shattering like stars in his mind’s eye. Desperately, he wanted to reach to the emptiness beyond and wrap it about himself… A wish that he could step into the shadows and disappear, to fade away into nothingness and escape the world which had long-since abandoned him.Already he could picture himself, his yellow-rimmed pupils turned downwards. He stood at a crossroads, a divergence which would forever rule his fate. Two paths.But was there a point in even choosing?This was his atonement.And there was only one road left for him to follow.
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Luke Skywalker
Comments: 2
Kudos: 44





	The Slow Walk to Death's Embrace

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so this is by far the darkest one-shot in this series so far, so please be warned! It's quite angst-heavy and just... _dark_.
> 
> Note that, while this is dark, it does /not/ have mentions of suicide or self harm.
> 
> It has not been beta-read, like the others, so please be kind to me!
> 
> Hope you all enjoy!

The child had been so small, fragile and yet… so strong. Even as Obi-Wan had passed the bundle to Oben and Beru, he’d felt hope that the boy would have a future.

No, he hadn’t just _felt_ it--he’d believed it with every fiber of his being. The boy would grow old, older and far wiser than himself, and would one day carry on his father’s name and title as a Jedi.

But more than anything, he had prayed to the Force that the kid would have a _future_ . Not some barren ocean of death and despair, but a chance at _true_ life and joy, even beneath the shadow of the Empire… 

And yet. 

  
  


And yet… 

  
  


The tomb was small, the headstone simple and still devoid of weathering from the harsh Tatooine winds. 

Obi-Wan took in its silhouette against the sunset sky, how it rose from the sand, solemn and proud. Beside it stood Shmi’s, and beyond that, Cleigg’s.

They were there, the three… 

Obi-Wan sank to his knees, arms limp at his sides. 

He couldn’t think, he couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t… 

The kid had been so young, too young, too pure, and… 

And yet it had happened. His worst nightmare. 

  
  
  


In Obi-Wan’s blindness, _someone_ had found the boy. In his negligence--in his _failure_ … Someone had managed to--

The Sith… An agent sent from far, far away… 

  
  


The world seemed to spin, and Obi-Wan felt himself become lost in the red-orange glow beyond the distant dunes. There was no longer a part of him which could appreciate its beauty. 

Around him, the Force was breaking apart, the pieces slowly falling from the heavens, shattering like stars in his mind’s eye. Desperately, he wanted to reach to the emptiness beyond and wrap it about himself… A wish that he could step into the shadows and disappear, to fade away into nothingness and escape the world which had long-since abandoned him.

Two years had passed since he’d arrived on Tatooine. _Two_. 

The boy was practically an infant, and to have already joined the Force… 

Bile rose in Obi-Wan’s throat. 

A light flicked on in the homestead to his left, indicating movement from the couple there. 

Eyes open but unseeing, body moving without thought or comprehension, Obi-Wan rose. Slowly, he drew the graceful weapon from within his robes, balancing it in his palm. 

Two years, and yet the crystal still echoed with the radiance, the touch of the Skywalker who had wielded it. 

The twin suns were sinking beneath the dunes and the purple hue of the sky glittered against the lightsaber’s cylindrical body. Many years ago, this blade had conducted a deadly song of death and destruction, claiming the lives of women and children. 

Anakin’s rage and anger had been nothing but pure, white-hot flame, an inferno in both body and soul. He had always brushed against the darkness in those moments, but eventually chosen to use it--tearing into the void without hesitation. It was painful, the darkness burning into the force… 

And this sword--it had resisted. 

Around Obi-Wan, the air was chilling, the sun’s rays no longer heating the desolate world. But it was not cold. 

Obi-Wan noted the small amount of wear on the hilt and the small dent just below the belt ring. 

He meant to bury it, to make it final, to allow father and son to rest beside one another in one final act… But something stayed his hand. 

This blade did not fight him.

The ice was spreading, crawling across his heart and soul, guiding him towards that far horizon--the one where darkness began and the light could never reach. It froze his blood and bone. 

Obi-Wan’s eyes moved upwards, taking in the stars which had already begun to flicker into view. Then he moved past the lights, finding the empty spaces beyond. 

Slowly his right hand fell to his hip, and closed around his own weapon. He had crafted this blade through the light, forging a bond between its crystalline heart and his own will--his unshakable desire to do good. To protect. 

No longer could he feel its call. 

… And, oddly enough, he no longer did he wish to hear its voice… 

Before him, he held both blades, noting that the suns had set. Night was upon him, bathing the planet in shadow. 

He tilted his head to the side. 

Was this truly the dark side? 

Was this truly the darkness? 

He was experiencing none of the fire, that blazing inferno. 

Slowly, the lake froze over, the deep, yet soft click of its frozen surface coming together resounding throughout his mind. His eyes began to itch, but he blinked away the discomfort. 

Already he could picture himself, yellow-rimmed pupils turned downwards. 

He had a choice, two paths. 

But was there a point? He asked himself this question, devoid of emotion. 

This was his atonement. 

And there was only one road left for him to follow.

  
  


His hand closed around Anakin’s lightsaber, his grip tightening until his knuckles turned white. Slowly, he brought it back to his hip. 

Its voice was there, the feeling of power at his fingertips--radiant even in darkness. 

Obi-Wan blinked, eyes landing on a spot several meters from the line of silent tombstones. 

The cold bent to his will now, the touch of the void. 

Slowly, he reached out, grasping at the sand with his mind. It fell away, caving inwards. He lowered his hand, but his own lightsaber hung in the air. 

This was farewell. 

  
  


The weapon sank beneath the sand, taking its place beside Luke. 

He pulled his cloak tighter around him. 

Where one rage had burned at his heart and mind, the thick frost only deepened. It was a terrifying, calm resolve. 

There was one who’d taken everything from him, a person who now basked in victory, hunting down the last of those who believed in the light. 

And while he knew that there were others fighting for their freedom, there would be no rebel ship which would bear a fallen man--a wraith which he’d become. 

Obi-Wan Kenobi was no more, buried with the aged ‘Ben Kenobi’, resting beside the young Skywalker who he’d failed to protect. 

He turned away. 

Now, he only could look forward, at the shadows of the Empire, and the man who had brought ruin upon the galaxy. 

No, it wouldn’t be an easy path. 

But he would not rest until he’d cut the head off of the snake. 

Even if it meant he’d die trying. 

  
  
  
  


  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! 
> 
> You can find me on Tumblr [here](https://lazarusii.tumblr.com/)  
> All comments, corrections, kudos, etc. greatly appreciated!
> 
> Now I need to go write some fluff and happy feels to get rid of these dark vibes... 
> 
> Have a good rest of your weekend and may the Force be with you!


End file.
